Of course, the standard for all QB controversies was one featuring Joe Montana and Steve Young two decades ago (1987-93). Young became the first Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback to succeed another Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback.

Here is what Montana and Young had to say about the Jets' plight regarding Tebow and incumbent starter Mark Sanchez:

"Mark is a better player right now and that's it," Montana wrote in an email to the New York Daily News. "As long as Mark believes in himself and plays, it's not an issue. It's more of an issue for those of you who write, or blog or tweet and all the other methods of delivering content."

Advertisement

Young, in a Monday morning interview on ESPN, said of the Sanchez-Tebow dynamic, "There's no question in my mind, inevitably, there's going to be a lot of consternation, a lot of conflict, and competition and controversy. It's just the nature of what the Jets have put in their locker room this year."

Tebow is entering his third season, having become a global phenomenon last season in taking the Denver Broncos to the playoffs.

"Let's be honest, this is not a backup quarterback," Young said of Tebow. "He was the heir apparent in Denver. He was a starter. He was a starter because he took a team that was 1-4 to the playoffs, and beat Pittsburgh. It's not like he hasn't accomplished anything.

"Now he is coming in as the backup, and it certainly looks like they'll try to use him as much as possible. He's the greatest college football player ever."

The Broncos traded Tebow to the Jets rather than the Jacksonville Jaguars, doing so after Peyton Manning decided a week ago to pick the Broncos over the Tennessee Titans and 49ers. Any speculation on Tebow joining the 49ers was quickly quashed by 49ers CEO Jed York when he said: "Tebow's not coming here.

"The real pressure of this move is on Mark Sanchez. Will he claw through this?" Young added. "It's going to be a real hassle for him. It's already a hassle for him. He hasn't spoken. That's a big deal. What's he going to say? Is he going to create some space for him to become a great player for the Jets and the league. ... Tim Tebow's going to be knocking at the door every day. And management is saying, 'We're going to look for opportunities to put him on the field. We want him to be on that punt team. We want him to have 15 plays on offense.' They're going to put pressure on Mark Sanchez, and sooner or later, no matter how well Mark plays, there are going to be a few series in a row at home where things aren't going well, and they're are going to be chants (for Tebow), and Rex Ryan will not have a choice to put Tim Tebow in."

After Tebow's press conference, Young revealed that he worked with Tebow a couple months ago and thinks Tebow's struggles as a quarterback can be fixed. "He's got to stay laser focused on playing the quarterback position," Young added, "or he'll be pigeon-holed into something else. It's important for him to (say) I want to run a conventional offense and prove I can do it."

Tebow told reporters he's texted with Sanchez since the trade, adding: "We are going to have a great working relationship and I think we will have a lot of fun together. ... From my conversations with him, he was excited and excited about working with me. I have a lot of respect for him as a football player and person. He has always handled himself with class and integrity. I think we will have a great working relationship. We talked about that. I am excited about that opportunity."

What comes next? Young summed it up this way: 1.) Sanchez will thrive in response to Tebow's presence; 2.) Sanchez will falter and Tebow will thrive; 3.) Both will falter.

In contrast, the 49ers had a fourth option: both Montana and Young thrived, won Super Bowls and are enshrined in Canton.